Every day, Devaughn Vele makes a play for Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — On what seems like a daily basis, Devaughn Vele does something to impress onlookers at Denver Broncos training camp.

Last Thursday, for example, the seventh-round rookie had the catch of camp, a one-handed touchdown grab in a goal-to-go period. Even in the preseason opener, when Vele had just one reception, he drew two pass-interference penalties.

“He put some good tape out there and continues to improve,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

When the Broncos returned to practice Wednesday, Vele wasted no time drawing an ovation from fans, working one step past Kris Abrams-Draine down the right sideline to catch a perfectly-placed Bo Nix pass for a 50-yard touchdown. In his next repetition, Vele made a leaping catch.

And during the final “move-the-ball” period of practice, Vele almost-single-handedly drove the No. 2 offense to a field goal, catching a pair of passes from Jarrett Stidham for 49 yards.

The little things on which Devaughn Vele prides himself seem to be making a big impact — and could push him to a spot on the 53-player roster that seemed unlikely when the Broncos selected him.

But Devaughn Vele isn’t getting caught up in that.

“Just staying humble and grinding,” he said. “Keeping my head down and doing what the coaches tell me to do and just being coachable.”

• The Broncos practiced in shells after having two rest days following the preseason opener in Indianapolis. They are expected to work in full pads Thursday and again Friday for the joint session with the Green Bay Packers.
• The “move-the-ball” two-minute period saw the first- and second-team offenses drive to field goals that represented game-tying scores in the situation given. Given the ball at its 41-yard line with no timeouts, 1:12 on the clock and a 3-0 fourth-quarter deficit, the first-team offense drove to a score thanks to consecutive Bo Nix completions to Josh Reynolds and Courtland Sutton, the first of which came on a fourth-and-7 from the offense’s 44-yard-line. Jarrett Stidham guided the second-team offense to a field goal on the strength of the afore-mentioned passes to Devaughn Vele.
• Payton said that scenario is one of “over 500” two-minute situations on which he could work. “If you handle it correctly, it gives yourself a chance and if you don’t, then you end up probably on the losing end of some of those,” he said.
• Special teams got in punt and field-goal work. Kicker Wil Lutz made all but one of his attempts.
• Safety Omar Brown recorded an interception, nabbing a Zach Wilson pass that skipped off the hands of David Sills in seven-on-seven work.

The afore-mentioned 50-yard catch by Devaughn Vele during the one-on-one period once again showed his improving downfield ability. “I like his transition and his body control for someone who’s 6-foot-4,” Payton said.

“I never try to let age be an issue or be a thing that kind of messes with my mental (frame of mind).” — WR Devaughn Vele, who will turn 27 years of age in December of this year and is older than 54 of the players on the Broncos’ current 90-player roster

• Safety Brandon Jones returned to practice, but the Broncos kept him out of team-period work. Jones is still recovering from a hamstring pull suffered early in training camp.
• Cornerback Levi Wallace remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. He worked out on the side field.
• Cornerback Art Green watched practice from the sideline after suffering a concussion against the Colts. “I don’t want to use the word ‘mild,’ but the symptom scores are better for him,” Payton said. “There’s a good chance that he won’t go this week and then we feel strongly he’ll be ready to go next week.”
• Tight end Lucas Krull did not practice due to a toe injury suffered during the third quarter last Sunday. “We’ll see how he is [Thursday],” Payton said.
• Two days after waiving linebacker Alec Mock, the Broncos brought him back, signing him after waiving edge rusher Jaylon Allen with an injury settlement. Allen could be brought back to injured reserve Thursday — as is the case with fellow edge rusher Ronnie Perkins — if he passes through waivers.

Thursday, Aug. 15 at 10 a.m. MDT.